pparaska

In a book I have "Mechanics of Machines", the equation for the position of the piston in the cylinder is given as: x = (R+L) - (R cos(theta) + L cos(phi)) R is the length of the crank throw (half the stroke) L is the con rod length, center to center theta is the angle of the crank, measured away from TDC (ATDC) phi is the angle the rod center-to-center line makes with a line connecting the piston pin and the main bearing center. Just geometry and trig. I'm playing with a spreadsheet set up to calculate the % volume, etc. for different stroke/rod engines. The % volume versus crank rotation angle (theta) function really only depends on the rod length and stroke. theta and phi are running variables and phi can be expressed as a function of theta. cos(phi) = SQRT( 1 - ((R/L)*sin(theta))^2 ) When I get the spreadsheet working, I'll let you know and post a link to it. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Jim, if you want easy speed and power, then a normally aspirated large displacement engine is the easiest way, but not the most elegant or efficient. In other words, bolting in a carbed V8 (350, etc.) is the easy way. Scottie has the GN Buick V6 Turbo in his car and it has more power than almost any two NA L6 motors put together. John Scott has a supercharged 4.3 V6 also making alot of power. Of course, the L28T, RB26ETT, etc. are other choices. The L28T in stock form will give good power, but to make any "smaller" displacement engine make lots of power, you need to boost it somehow and put an intercooler in. Not easy or cheap, generally. But loads of fun! The Chevy small block V8 swap is well documented in the http://www.jagsthatrun.com manual and in the forum here. The Ford Small Block is getting more coverage here as well, in the last year. Good luck with your decision, ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

If you take the regulator that comes with the Holley Blue pump apart (easy), you see that its a deadhead regulator with two outputs. No provision for a return line, in the regular sense. A return style regulator has a port for bypassing the held back fuel back to the tank.

But if it wasn't a 90+ TT, but an NA, I'd go V8 or GN.

Will do. When the car gets back from the paint/bodyshop, this will be one of the MANY things I have to do to get it on the road, but I will snap picts, etc. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

I'll say it again. Unnecessary negativity about others ideas is not tolerated on this site. I and the other moderators will take action if we see it, it's as simple as that. Now I realize that my voicing concern over it brought the boiler pressure up a bit, but that is the price we pay for keep things in check. The alternative is to have this place turn into a typical Internet car forum site.

Hmm. I was working on a car lately that went click,click,click, and couldn't figure it out. The battery had a good charge, we were jumping it with a running car, the connection at the starter and positive post were tight, the positive battery cable was not warm (from too much resistance), and the 8 gage jumper cables got warm, even after a few seconds of holding the key to the click position. Then nothing would work electrically. So I put the test leads of the voltmeter on the battery terminals and had the owner turn on the lights. Then I saw a spark in the crack between the negative cable end and the post. Checked the terminal and it was loose! Tightened the terminal and the car cranked like mad, without the jumper cables hooked up. Yeah, check for the obvious stuff - all of it . ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Not sure why they limit voltage to coils, but some cars like the 240Z will bypass the ballast resistor when cranking to get more spark. Firebern, that little coil sounds like an inductor used to limit ignition interference on the radio.

Harth, sounds like a great way to quiet it. I think I understand. Could you snap a photo of that and post it? Thanks, Pete

I know it's hard to communicate geometry with words, but I think I answered that above. Even though the spring won't coil bind, the top spring perch will be closer to the top of the strut housing/glandnut. Since that's what positions the bumpstop, it will hit sooner if you use shorter springs (loaded) with the lower spring perch in the stock location. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Zfan, I don't think this is getting blown out of proportion. But when I start seeing negativity with respect to talking about how people do stuff to their projects, I WILL make a statement - that's my job as an administrator/moderator. This site is NOT supposed to have that kind of tone, and I WILL NOT put up with it. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Ross, on the 240-280Z, the OE front diff crossmember and Z31 input flange interfere. Modding the crossmembe or making a different one could get around this. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

James, I like your idea, but I think you will still have problems with the bumpstop as you noted, as it will still be at the same height relative to the top of the spring. Since the strut tube is still the same length and the spring is shorter, that means the bumpstop will be closer to the top of the strut tube and gland nut, so it will bottom sooner. Of course, you can shorten it, but that makes it stiffer. The above all assumes that the spring perch will sit at the same relative height compared to the bolting surface at the top of the isolator. If you can raise that somehow, you'll raise the bump stop. I have a Z buddy that did something on a similar vein. He modified the stock isolator as follows: Started with a 240Z isolator. Heated the metal shell of the isolator until the rubber melted enough to separate the rubber and inner portion of the isolator and the outer shell. He then cut about 1/2" to 3/4" off of the top of the rubber portion, leaving a 1/4" or so of rubber between the metal insert that the strut shaft goes through and the top of the rubber. He then cut slits in the outer shell from the bottom toward the top about as long as the amount of rubber removed above. Then he inserted the cut down rubber/center portion of the isolator into the shell, and bent over the tabs created by the slits in the outer shell to capture the rubber/center. A few tack welds on the tabs could be added to ensure the tabs don't unbend. This took 1/2" to 3/4" out of the isolator height, and raised the strut shaft and spring perch a like amount. HTH, ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

quote: Originally posted by alsil: All the spacers between the control arm and the bottom of the strut do is lengthen the sturt assy. it does NOT change the angle of the tie rod, since it is below the spindle. Al, at least on the 240-280Z, this is not correct. The typical strut spacer (incorrectly termed a "bumpsteer spacer" by many, IMO) goes between the bottom of the strut and the steering knuckle that holds the ball joint and outer tie rod end. So adding the spacer does affect both the angle of the control arm (and therefore the roll center and camber curve) and the tie rod end (and therefore the rest position in the bumpsteer curve). ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

ZCarKid The people here on HybridZ have varying priorities, objectives, financial means, sound level acceptance, talent, and power levels. If you think they are expensive, unwieldly, or corked up, we welcome a different point of view! Just show us your ideas and finished products. I'd love to hear about the details of how you go about this project. Water cooled sidepipes are something I recently read about in a Rod and Custom magazine - that'd be different too. DavyZ, that's actually a stainless ceramic coating, not Cermacote, which is Aluminum ceramic. Stays shiny longer, etc. costs the same. Scottie turned me on to it. My exhaust is probably the most expensive one I've heard of here, might be unweildly (not sure what you meant by that) but it's definitely not corked up for my uses. It will handle 400+ hp, if I ever upgrade to that power level. To each his own, is the motto here. If it's not for you that's fine. But three derogatory words to describe what people are doing is a bit negative for my taste. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

I bought a used Pro-Comp liquid filled oil pressure gage from Mikeely that was low on oil, believe it or not - the line was down about 3/4 on the gage. I called Autometer to talk about some other stuff (gage circuits, etc.) and I mentioned needing the oil and he sent out a bottle of it free of charge.

quote: Originally posted by jeromio: ... As to the camber plates, the reason they lower the car in and of themselves is that you no longer have the rubber isolator. This may (or may not, I have no experience with this) make the car's ride more harsh. Which is exactly why I kept them and sectioned the struts. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Curtis, thanks for those answers. Glad to hear that the 3.545:1 is available. Does the R230 from the Infiniti mount the same as the one in the TT Z32?

I agree with what TimZ wrote completely, but would like to add that you only want to section the strut IF you need to lower the car with shorter springs (or coilovers, if you use a shorter installed spring height). The issue is that you can lower the car with camber plates. If you use some of the camber plate/coilover top perch setups, you can lower the car over an inch. Ground Control, and others here (scca-Mike) can give exact numbers. So before you start swapping strut cartridges around and sectioning tubes, be sure you're not going to be using the camber plate/coilover perch parts that do the lowering for you. That said, when sectioing strut tubes, you don't need to take out the full length difference between the old cartridge (e.g., the front 240Z cartridge in the front tube) and the new one (e.g., the VW Rabbit cartridge). You can take out less if that's all you want to lower the car, and use a spacer under the cartridge. I did this and only took out 1.5" because that was all I planned on lowering the car and still use the stock isolator and top spring perch. Shortening the tubes more than you lower the car takes away from droop travel, which is bad as well. Going hot through a corner or peaking a hill at speed can lift the tire off the ground, since the suspension can go to full droop sooner and leave nothing to touch the ground. Hope this helps, ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

If you want them both to come on at the same time (simplest method, probably no need to do anything fancier), then wire them in parallel to the relay. Just run the hot wire from each fan to the same contact on the relay, and a large, fused hot wire to the arm of the relay. Ground both fans at a good ground and you're set. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Z man377 - glad you got that overheating problem fixed - that's one nice car you have there! I loved the videos on your site. Not that I have anything against the Turbo Buick V6 ( I think it makes a great swap ), just wondering why you're going that way. BTW, what fan did you have one before the Taurus 2spd fan? Sounds like a great back to back test. Wasn't it a Black Magic fan? ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Curtis, that's an awesome plan. Are you going to offer the custom hub carrier you're making? Where are you getting the axles resplined? What ratio in the diff? What ratios are available in the yards? Thanks in advance ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

Terry, on the 240Z, it is a 10AWG wire coming into the car from the alternator, and that goes to AMP gage and the fuse box. But if you start taking load off of the stock fuse box by using relays for the headlights and getting the power from the alternator directly, then you save some current capability int the fuse box. I'd rather run an 8AWG wire from the battery or Alternator (which ever is closer to what I'm feeding) and put a relay in line.

Someone has posted elsewhere that the only two piece they'd heard didn't leak was the $220+ Comp Cams piece. Too high for me. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages

I found it again. I think someone here pointed the URL out to me. Anyway the article is "The 350 Engine Chevrolet Should Have Built." It was in the June 97 HotRod Magazine. Here's the URL: http://www.airflowresearch.com/Articles/A3-P1.htm They used AFR 190 heads for the 305 with 56cc chambers and 1.990" intake valves.